Pedal control for electrically amplified musical instruments



Dec.` 6, 1938. R. AIALA 2,139,217

PEDAL CONTROL FOR .ELECTRICALLY AMPLFIED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed July l, 1937 m... il 17 f5 @um mlnnlmluuulunnmuu Patented Dec. 6, 1938 PEDAL CONTROL FOB ELECTRICALLY AM- PLIFIED MUSICAL-INSTRUMENTS Rocco mais, New York, N. Irr., winmto Epiphone, Inc., New York, N.

New York Y., a corporation of Application July 1, 1937, Serial N0. 151,385

The present invention relates to electrically amplified musical instruments and more particularly to a pedal device associated therewith and adapted to Vobtain volume ampliilcation control and tonal quality variation oi' such musical instruments.

For a complete understanding of the present invention reference may be had to Patent* No. 2,020,842, which describes the construction and operation of an electrically amplified stringed musical instrument, inasmuch as the pedal device `of the present invention is used particularly with and is associated with such instrument and it is not feasible to include a full description ofsuch l5 instrument herein. It is, however, to be understood that the present invention is not limited in its application to the type of musical instrument therein illustrated and described, but that it may be used with equal advantage in connection with 50 any type of musical instrument wherein electrical amplification is employed.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide pedal operated means for obtaining volume amplification control and tonal quality 5 variation of magneto-electric musical instruments in order toobviate manual operation' of such means and thus free the hands of the player to be employed exclusively for playing of the instrument.' Another object of the present invent is to provide a pedal device for the aforesaid purposes which is operable by the player to simultaneously control the volume amplification and selectively vary the tonal quality of the sound emitted by the instrument. A further object of the present invention is to provide a device of the character described which is simple in structure, smooth and noiseless in .operation and eilicient in use. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be pointed out hereing aitr and will in part be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of i parts hereinafter specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein there is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing which forms an r integral part of this disclosure,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a pedal device-constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken oni the I line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view oi' the pedal device; and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of the wiring system vemployed in the present invention.

(ci. iva- 1) Referring now to the accompanying drawing end walls I3. and I4 is a horizontally disposed o' shaft I6 the ends of which are secured to the side walls I I and l2 respectively. A longitudinal bar I1 is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the shaft IB and is thus adapted to swing vertically around the said shaft. The longitudinal bar I'I is preferably provided with crossbars I8 and I9 which are spacedfrom each end of the bar H and are secured to the upper side thereof by means of suitable bolts 20. A foot rest 2i is adapted to rest upon the cross-bars I8 and I9 and is pivotally mounted on the bar I1 by means of a vertical pin or bolt 22. The foot rest 2| is thus adapted to swing laterally around the said pin or bolt 22, and when pressed down by the heel or toe it actuates the longitudinal bar I'l and forces it to swing around the shaft I6. 'I'he foot rest 2| is preferably provided on the surface thereof with posts 23 for engaging the foot of the player so as to prevent it from slipping when the pedal device is operated.

Mounted on the bracing member I5 is a variable resistance unit 24 which is provided with a vertically disposed adjusting shaft 25 which extends downwardly through the bracing member I5. A wheel or sheave 26 is journaled to the adjusting shaft 25 below the bracing member I5. A cord or band 21 of suitable material such as catgut is attached at one end to the forward portion of the longitudinal bar I 1, is guided around a sheave 28 which is mounted on a block 29 which is secured to the end wall I3 of the base and is attached at the other end to the wheel or sheave 26. Likewise a cord or band 30 is attached at one end to the rearward portion of the longitudinal-bar I1, is guided around a sheave 3| which is mounted on a block 32 which is secured to the end wall I4 of the base, and is attached at the other end to the wheel or sheave 26. The foot rest 2| is thus operatively connected with the adjusting shaft'25 of the variable resistance unit 24.

For obtaining tonal quality variation of the electrically amplified musical instrument I employ two separate tone color units. One unit l comprises the condensers 33 which are preferably 'mounted on the underside of the bracing member I5. The other unit comprises the condensers 34 which are also mounted on the underside of the bracingl member I5, and the inductance or choke-coil 35 which is mounted on the side wall il of the base. Mounted on the underside of the longitudinal bar I1 and insulated therefrom by suitable insulating material such as Bakelite 36, are the single switch 31 which is electrically connected with the condensers 33, and the double switch 38 which is electrically connected with the condensers 34 and the inductance 35. Mounted on the underside of the foot rest 2| and insulated therefrom are the contact members 39 and 40 which are adapted to respectively engage the single switch 31 and the double switch 38 when the foot rest 2| is alternately swiveled around the pivot 22.

The ends of the wire coil winding 4| leading from the electro-acoustic unit of the musical instrument enter the pedal device through the socket 42 in the side wall and are connected by suitable conductors to the variable resistance unit and tone-color units. The wires I3 which lead from the amplifier and loud-speaker unit enter the pedal device through the socket 44 and are also connected by suitable conductors to the variable resistance unit and the tone-color units. The wiring arrangement through the pedal device is illustrated by the diagram of Fig. 4 of the drawing. l

The pedal device is operated by the player by vertical and lateral pressure on the foot rest 2|. When the foot rest 2| is in central horizontal position the variable resistance unit and the tonecolor units are inoperative. When, however, the foot rest 2| is pressed downward by the heel or toe, the adjusting shaft of the variable resistance unit is actuated and the resistance is varied so as to either increase or decrease the volume amplification. When vthe foot rest 2| is turned laterally to one side, the single switch 31 is closed and the condensers 33 are brought into the circuit thus producing a variation in the tonal quality of the sound emitted by the musical instrument. When the foot rest 2| is turned laterally to the opposite side, the double switch 38 is closed and the single switch 31 is opened. The condensers 33 and the inductance 35 are thereby brought into the circuit thus producing a further variation in the tonal quality of the sound emitted by the instrument. The player may thus adjust and control the volume amplification of his instrument and simultaneously he may obtain desired variations in tonal quality.

Having thus described and illustrated my present invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: i

1. A foot operated control for electrically arnpliled musical instruments comprising a pedal pivotally mounted on a support, tone-quality variation means on the support adapted to be connected to the instrument and amplifying system, and a switch operated by movement of the pedal for controlling said tone-quality variation means.

2. A foot operated control for electrically ampliiied musical instruments comprising a pedal pivotally mounted on a support for lateral movement, electrical condensers on the support adapted to be connected to the instrument and amplifying system, and a switch operated by movement of the pedal for controlling said condensers.

3. A foot operated .control for electrically amplified musical instruments comprising a pedal pivotally mounted on a support for lateral movement, electrical condensers and an inductance on the support adapted to be connected to the movement, electrical condensers and separatel electrical condensers and an inductanceon the support adapted to be connected to the instrument and amplifying system, and switches operated by alternate lateral movement of the pedal for controlling said condensers and said separate condensers and inductance.

6. A foot operated control for electrically amplified musical instruments comprising a pedal pivotally mounted on a support for both lateral and vertical movement', tone-quality variation' means and volume variation means on the support adapted to be connected tothe instrument and amplifying system, a switch operated by lateral movement of the pedal for controlling said tone-quality variation means, and means operatively connecting the pedal with the volume variation means for actuating same upon vertical movement 'of the pedal.

7. A foot operated control for electrically amplified musical instruments comprising a pedal pivotally mounted on a support for both lateral and vertical movement, condensers and an inductance and a variable resistance on the support adapted to be connected to the instrument and amplifying system, a switch operated by lateral movement of the pedal for controlling said condensers and inductance, and means operatively connecting the pedal with the variable resistance for actuating same upon vertical movement of the pedal.

8. A foot operated control for electrically amplified musical instruments comprising a pedal pivotally mounted on a support for bilateral and biaxial movement, condensers, separate condensers and an inductance, and a variable resistance including adjusting means on the support adapted to be connected to the instrument and amplifying system, switches operated by alternate lateral movement of the pedal for controlling said condensers and said separate condensers and inductance and means operatively connecting the pedal to said adjusting means for varying said resistance upon alternate vertical movement of the pedal.

9. A foot operated control for electrically amplified musical instruments comprising a pedal pivotally mounted on a support for bilateral and biaxial movement, a plurality of tone-quality variation means and volume variation means on the support adapted to be connected to the instrument and amplifying system, switches operated by alternate lateral movement of the pedal for controlling said tone-quality variation means, and means operatively connecting the pedal to said volume variation means for actuating same upon alternate vertical movement oi' the pedal.

ROCCO AIALA. 

